a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tackle boxes, and, more particularly, to an ergonomic chest-worn box for the organization and storage of fishing tackle or other items.
b. Background Art
Because of the gear intensive nature of fishing, it is common for fishermen to employ a tackle box for the storage and organization of their various paraphernalia such as lures, flies, weights, leaders, and other tackle. Typically, these tackle boxes are large, cumbersome affairs containing a myriad of complex trays, drawers, slots, and fold out compartments intended to systematically arrange the gear for quick, easy access. However, because of the size and complexity of these tackle boxes, they are usually deposited in one spot near the fishing source, e.g., on the shore, and the user must constantly return to the box to change lures, reconfigure the leader, or alter rigging to adapt to changes in fishing conditions. For serious fishermen, this is a major inconvenience which detracts from the gear in remote locations. While these devices may have addressed the portability issue, their functionality remains deficient in several areas.
First, the portable tackle boxes found in the prior art typically comprise a rectangular box shaped enclosure which is ergonomically deficient for an article that is intended to be worn by a person. Whether slung over the shoulder or mounted on the chest, the sharp corners and abrupt edges inevitably bear against the user""s body and cause discomfort. This discomfort is accentuated as the wearer articulates his body, such as when casting or stooping down to release a fish.
The instability of many of these units further aggravates the discomfort issue. For instance, the shoulder borne variety of portable tackle boxes are inherently unstable. They tend to swing on the shoulder of the wearer, banging against the body or sliding off the shoulder with every false step or sudden movement. Considering the mobility and agility required for negotiating a stream crossing or bushwhacking a wooded bank, the shoulder worn tackle boxes are simply inappropriate.
While the chest worn tackle boxes provide better securement, many of them protrude excessively from the chest, causing instability and magnifying their discomfort. Because of the protrusive designs, the centers of gravity on these boxes are excessively outboard of the wearer""s body. This makes them prone to lateral swinging, and the cantilever effect causes the body supported edges to dig in to the wearer""s chest. With any sort of abrupt or bouncy movement, this detrimental effect is augmented. In addition, many of these boxes have flip out compartments which, when opened, extends the center of gravity even farther from the chest, thus further reducing the comfort level.
Another deficiency common among many of the portable chest borne tackle boxes is the cluttered, complex arrangement of lids, flaps and drawers which must be negotiated in order to access the stored items. Many of these units share the complex construction typical of their larger, non-portable brethren, yet, for many situations, these xe2x80x9cbells and whistlesxe2x80x9d are undesirable on a portable unit. For instance, when balanced in a rocking boat or thigh deep in a frigid stream, access to the gear should be quick and simple. The dexterity and patience required to access many of the portable units found in the prior art is excessive in these types of situations. In addition, the complex arrangement of flip top access lids and fold out trays, common on many of these units, presents numerous opportunities for line entanglement. Aside from the functionality issues, the complexity of many portable tackle boxes drives up the cost and increases the weight, both of which should be minimized to enhance commercial success.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a portable chest mounted tackle box that is ergonomically designed such that, even during dynamic activities, it remains stably supported and comfortable to wear. Furthermore, there exists a need for such a device that is sleek and uncluttered, allowing quick and easy access to its contents and reducing the risk of line entanglement. Still further, there exists a need for such a device which maintains design simplicity, allowing reduced weight for enhanced portability, and part consolidation for low cost production.
The present invention has solved the problems cited above, and is an ergonomic chest mounted tackle box for the organization, storage and deployment of fishing tackle or other items. Broadly, the invention comprises, (a) a breast panel member, anatomically contoured to the general shape of a person""s chest region, providing comfortable, stabilizing support means for substantially vertical stowage or substantially horizontal deployment of a housing element by means of a pivotal connection, (b) a housing element, pivotally supported from the breast panel member and providing a containment for a compartmentalized receptacle member, (c) a receptacle member providing storage for tackle or other items and comprising a partitioning element for dividing the receptacle member into one or more storage bins, (d) a lid element comprising a tamboured closure for containment of items stored in the receptacle member, (e) a latch member for securing the housing element in a substantially vertically disposed position against the breast panel member when stowed, (f) a harness system providing securement of the tackle box assembly to the users upper torso by means of shoulder strap elements affixed to the breast panel member.
The breast panel member of the present invention serves as a stabilizing and load bearing element which comfortably supports and distributes the load of the tackle box assembly and stored contents on the wearer""s chest. Accordingly, the breast panel may comprise a substantially rectangular and vertically disposed semi-rigid sheet of material, sized and contoured to anatomically conform to the general shape of a person""s chest region. The corners of the sheet may be xe2x80x9csoftenedxe2x80x9d by rounding them, and the width and vertical length of the breast panel may be generously specified to assure lateral stability and adequate surface area for load bearing comfort. By using a semi-rigid sheet material, the breast panel may yielding deflect and conform as the wearer articulates his body. Unlike other portable tackle boxes found in the prior art, in which rigid box-like structures with corners and edges bear against the body, the chest panel of the present invention provides a conformal, semi-compliant protective barrier which serves as an intermediate load bearing surface between the user""s body and tackle box load. Load is transferred into the breast panel through a pivotal connection with the tackle box housing and receptacle assembly. Towards the lower end of the breast panel, two parallel, vertically oriented hinge tabs may extend forward proximate either side edge. Each hinge tab may include a circular aperture, thus providing means for pinned pivotal connection of the housing and receptacle assembly.
The breast panel may be secured to the wearer""s chest by means of a harness system that may comprise left and right shoulder straps. The left shoulder strap may connect to the breast panel proximate its upper left corner, pass over the wearer""s left shoulder, pass under the left arm and reconnect to the breast panel proximate its lower left corner. The right shoulder strap may connect to the breast panel proximate its upper right corner, pass over the wearer""s right shoulder, pass under the right arm and reconnect to the breast panel proximate its lower right corner. To assure that the shoulder straps remain seated on the wearer""s shoulders during dynamic activities, a substantially horizontally disposed lateral stabilizing strap may connect between the two shoulder straps across the wearer""s upper back.
The housing element mounts to the breast panel via the panel""s hinge tabs and serves as a pivoting enclosure for the receptacle member and the tackle stored within. The housing element is essentially a four sided, open topped box, which may comprise a substantially flat and rectangular floor that contours seamlessly into an accurate front wall and a substantially vertically disposed, flat rear wall. The side walls may comprise flat, vertically disposed plates with front, rear, and bottom edge profiles that conform to the respective front wall, rear wall, and floor of the housing. The top edge of each side wall may be contoured to conform with the breast panel profile, such that when the housing is pivoted upward into a stowed position, the unit nests snugly against the breast panel, thus drawing the housing""s center of gravity closer to the wearer""s body and minimizing instability.
On the inside face of each side wall, a continuous parallel set of raised ribs may run adjacent each wall""s top, front, and bottom edges, forming a track for the sliding retention of a tamboured lid. To enclose the top of the housing, the tamboured lid is slid towards the rear housing wall, and to access the housing contents, the tamboured lid is slid towards the front wall. The arcuate shape of the front wall and the corresponding arced profile of the track along the conforming front edge of the side walls, allows the tamboured lid to slidingly transition from the top of the housing to the floor of the housing while being opened. By using a tamboured lid, no flip top access lids are required, thus simplifying access to the housing contents and reducing the risk of line entanglement.
It would be impractical to place tackle directly within the housing since these items would interfere with the sliding operation of the tamboured lid as it traverses the housing floor while being opened. Thus, a receptacle member, providing storage means for tackle or other items, may be secured within the housing in a position elevated above the housing floor. By elevating the receptacle, an internal cavity is formed, between the receptacle floor and the housing floor, which accommodates the sliding insertion of the tamboured lid when opened.
The receptacle may comprise a rectangular, four sided, open topped box with a floor, two side walls, a front wall and a rear wall. The receptacle may be divided into one or more storage bins by positioning a partitioning element within the receptacle""s interior. The partitioning element may comprise a unitized, interlocking network of dividers in the conventional manner, or may comprise a modular arrangement of individual dividers or boxes that may be configured according to user preference. In addition, the partitioning element may be fixed within the receptacle or removable in part or in total. The height of the receptacle walls and partitioning element may be configured such that when closed, the tamboured lid securely seals the contents and prevents spillover between bins regardless of the housing""s orientation.
The rear of the housing/receptacle assembly nests between the two hinge tabs on the breast panels; and circular apertures, configured to align with the hinge tab apertures, may be formed in the side walls of the housing/receptacle assembly. Through these aligned apertures, a fastener may join each hinge tab to the corresponding side wall of the housing/receptacle assembly, thus forming a pivotal connection which allows the housing to rotate about a horizontal axis with respect to the stationary breast panel. In the deployed position, the housing may rotate downward until the housing""s rear wall contacts the breast panel. In this position, the housing extends substantially normal to the breast panel in the form of a shelf, thus allowing quick and convenient access to the housing""s contents by simply sliding the tamboured lid open. Since the rear wall of the housing bears against the breast panel, the load is comfortably distributed over the wearer""s chest rather than digging into the lower portion of the chest cavity as is common among tackle boxes found in the prior art.
When immediate access is not required, the housing/receptacle assembly may be conveniently stowed by sliding the tamboured lid shut and rotating the housing into a vertical position such that profiled top edges of the housing""s side walls mate with the matching contour in the breast panel. A latch member may secure the housing to the breast panel in this position, creating a low profile package with enhanced stability.